Prado Museum

The Prado Museum (Museo del Prado) is one of the most famous art museums in the world, located in Madrid, Spain. It was founded in 1819 by King Ferdinand VII and has since become a cultural icon, housing a vast collection of European art, primarily from the 12th to the early 20th century.

The museum's collection is particularly renowned for its masterpieces of Spanish, Italian, and Flemish art. Some of the most celebrated artists featured in the Prado include Francisco Goya, Diego Velázquez, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, and Hieronymus Bosch. Key works include Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's The Third of May 1808, and Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights.

The Prado spans several floors, with the main galleries dedicated to painting, but it also features sculpture, decorative arts, and prints. The museum's architecture, originally designed by Juan de Villanueva, has been expanded over the years to accommodate the growing collection, with significant renovations and additions by architects like Rafael Moneo.